PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Deanna Hayes has been teaching for more than 30 years, but said she has felt called to teach her entire life.

“I think I’m one of those people that you can say was born to teach,” Hayes said. “I have worked in daycare centers from the time I was a child myself. I worked in my elementary, my middle school, high school and public libraries, even in our Sunday school. So, I’ve just always had an affinity for working with students.”

Hayes is a second grade teacher at Park View Elementary in Portsmouth. She not only works with students, but also new teachers. The school division said she has become a mentor to the newest teachers.

“I think one thing that teachers need to remember is that you always are learning,” Hayes said. “You continue to learn. You continue to grow. Taking your professional development courses, using every opportunity you can to improve your skill set, exploring things like national board certification. I have been a national board certified teacher, exploring the different things that will extend your your skill set to help others.”

One technique that Hayes uses in the classroom is called the CRA model.

“It’s concrete representation on the abstract,” Hayes said. “We give the students the opportunity to feel things, to experiment with them. Sometimes, they may not have the background in working with things. So, we can give them those hands-on manipulatives that will help them really experience what we’re doing.

“Then they go to the representational, where they’re actually writing down some of their things, and then finally to the abstract, where they’re completely working independently to express their learning.”

Hayes’ students are currently observing caterpillars as they turn into butterflies. She said they will get to release them before the school year ends.